Folding water closet



June 11, 1957 A. COLONNA FOLDING WATER CLOSET 6 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 10, 1954 Fig. 2

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June 11, 1957 A. COLONNA FOLDING WATER CLOSET B SheGtS ShQGt 6 Filed Dec. 10, 1954 This invention relates to folding water closets, gen- I erally speaking, and has reference in particular to a structurally and functionally distinct fold-away toilet, that is, a practical and convenient toilet bowl which is hingedly mounted in an appropriately constructed cabinet or an equivalent enclosure and is normally folded to an outof-the-way vertical position into a compartment in the cabinet when it is not in use and springs and swings outwardly and downwardly from said compartment when released to a horizontal position when it is in use, means being provided for lifting and lowering the bowl, and complemental means being provided for aptly and satisfactorily supplying flush water from a flushing valve to the stated bowl in a manner to suitably flush and scavenge the bowl after it has been used and before it is caused to swing up again to its vertical position.

One-object, broadly construed, is to structurally, functionally and similarly improve upon analogous prior art fold-away toilets and, having done so, to meet the varying general and specific requirements and demands of manufacturers and suppliers and the ever changing needs and responsibilities of plumbers, purchasers and users, especially those aspects which have to do with economy, ease and expediency of installation and repairs, limited space situations, handiness, sanitation and any and all such factors as have to do with flush-type fold-away toilets, especially those appropriated for use on mobile conveyances such as pullman cars, airplanes, ships and the like.

Before proceeding further, it is to be pointed out that the subject matter of the invention herein under advisement has relation to and comparable association with a similarly constructed and performing built-in fold-away water closet disclosed in application, Serial No. 399,345, since matured into Patent No. 2,750,599, dated June 19, 1956, and which application, in turn, stems from and therefore has allied association with a previously filed application on a fold-away water closet, Patent No. 2,725,575 of December 6, '1955. Inasmuch as the first named Patent No. 2,750,599 embodies many structural characteristics and features which are carried out and improved in the instant application, it is perhaps in order to state that ifreference is made thereto, it will be found that it discloses the usual stationary soil or disposal pipe which is provided at its inlet end with an appropriate S-trap. The latter, in turn, is provided on its upper or intake end with a specially designed elbow-like fitting communicatively joined with said inlet end. This fitting is especially constructed to provide an adapter head which has bearing means for a complemental cylinder, the cylinder being oscillatable therein. Flush water is fed and by-passed under pressure through an end portion of the cylinder and then through an appropriate duct for connection to an apertured distributing flush rim or ring on the hinged fold-away toilet bowl. The bowl is provided at its discharge end with an eflluent neck which, when the toilet bowl is down, is then properly flushed and serves to deliver the fecal matter and liquid into the 2,794,988 Patented June 11, 1957 elbow-like fitting and underlying communicating S- shaped trap. The cylinder and discharge neck are'united in such a way that when the bowl is down in its usable position, the effluent discharge neck is in emptying communication with the trap. When, however, the bowl is in its up or out-of-the-way and normal stored position in the cabinet compartment, the discharge neck is substantially closed off and is, for the most part, out of normal communication with the S-trap. Except for the flush water by-pass which communicates with a portion of the cylinder, that is, the hinging means for the bowl, the subject matter of the instant application is much the same in construction. It has been found, however, that it is more desirable to route the water from the flushing valve to the flush ring of the bowl in a different manner. Therefore, one of the objects of the instant invention is to provide the bowl hinging means on one side with a stabilizing shaft, said shaft being hollow and provided with nipples or equivalent connections and wherein the hollow portion of the shaft serves as a passage for the incoming flushing water.

More specifically, novelty in the instant case is predicated upon the nipple-equipped hollow stabilizing shaft wherein a flexible hose is provided and is communicatively included in and as a part of what is herein referred to broadly as conduit means between the flushing valve and said hollow shaft. A further connection is had, this being treated as a delivery connection between the stated hollow shaft and an extension which is provided therefor on the rear swingable or hinged end portion of the toilet bowl.

In order to bring out another feature of the instant invention, cross-reference is made to Patent No. 2,750,599 and the special structural arrangement which has to do with a stationary waste disposal conduit, a bowl having a flush water ring or rim and a fluid and fecal matter discharge neck, a hollow cylindrical bowl hinging head, said neck. being integral with and by-passing diametrically through said head between the respective ends of the head with the effluent end of the neck open. There is an elbow-like fitting carried by and communicating with the disposal unit, and this fitting embodies integral head means including axially aligned bearings and said hinging head cooperates with said head means and has end portions journaled for oscillation in the bearings. The fitting also embodies an imperforate wall portion with which the open end of the neck has cooperating valving association and the forward portion of the flush rim has a multiplicity of water issuing ports communicable with the bowl. In the pending application and also in the instant application, the rear portion of the flush water rim is imperforate and serves to hold a limited amount of flush water when the bowl is up so that when the bowl is again swung down for use in its regular horizontal position, the water which has been trapped is then gravityspilled from the rim through said ports and is allowed to flow and pool itself in the bottom of the bowl before the latter is brought into use, means being provided for delivering flush water under pressure to said flush water rim, and there being at least one reservoir which is communicably connected with the flush rim and in which a limited quantity of flush water is temporarily collected and trapped when the bowl is down and flushed and which retains the thus collected water when the bowl is raised to its up position but empties itself into the flush rim when the bowl is next swung and lowered to its down position. It is an object of an instant invention to carry out this idea in a different manner wherein instead of having the reservoir means directly cooperable with the flush water rim or ring, a specialelevated trapping reservoir 5 is provided and is included in the conduit connection be- 2,794,9ss I 3t tween the flushing valve and the flexible hose and which is therefore independent of and remote from the flush water rim.

Another object of th'e invention is to provide in the conduit means a valved reservoir which is directly connected with the flushing valve by way of a vacuum breakor and which has the flushing water andreservoir water hose connected therewith by suitable connections. The water reservoir which-traps the limited supply has a valve and a depending plunger bar or rod with special means on its lower end which cooperates with a cam on the afore mentioned hollow shaftso that the limited supplyof pooling water is trapped in the reservoir at the proper time, that is, when the toilet bowl is up and out-of-the-way, and is readied to be delivered or emptied into the rim and successively the bowl when the latter is swung down and justbefore it is occupied by the user for use.

A further object and feature of the invention has to do with a spring biased automatically returned latching and releasing rod which is constructed and arranged to cooperate with a keeper notch in a pivoted flushing valve pull lever which is arranged for cooperation with a push-button in the flushing valve, there being a suitable operating connection between this locking and releasing rod and the aforementioned hollowshaft so that when the bowl is swung down for use, the rod is depressed against spring action to lever releasing position so that the lever is then freed to operate the valve and flush the toilet, much in themanner of any regular stationary type toilet.

It has been found in connection with toilets in the category under advisement that it is not only necessary to have latch rod controlled means for safely controlling the functioning of the flushing valve and the flush water reservoir and supply facilities, it is also important that the toilet be equipped with complemental lifting and lowering means, that is, lever-tripped means which, when operated by the user permits the bowl to swing out from its housing compartment and then move down to its horizontal using position, said meansbeing further enhanced in its advantages and usefulness in that it also includes a foot treadle and operating devices so that when the user is through with the bowl and steps on the treadle, the means provided serves to automatically lift the toilet bowl up and store it away again in its folded or hide-away position.

While itis true that similar mechanical lock rod controlled means is offered and provided in Patent No. 2,750,- 599, the latter means includes gearing, and since the latter has been found to be objectionable, the improved structural adaptations which are herein revealed have been adopted and have been found, from experimental models and limited use, to be more effective, positive and desirable.

Many other objectives, features and advantages which are inherently and otherwise taken into account and carried out will. become more readily apparent from the following description and the subjoined claims which apl pear at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure .l is a front elevational view of a so-called cabinet-type or built-in fold-away water closet or toilet bowl constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention and showing the toilet bowl in its vertical out-ofuse position;

Figure 2 is a view in section and elevation taken on the vertical line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a view like Figure 2 in section and elevation and showing the toilet bowl swung out of its compartment and down to itshorizontal usableposition;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a view which may be said to be taken approximately on the plane of the line 5-5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a view in section and elevation taken on the plane of the vertical line 66 of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows, and detailing the lever controlled mechanical means which is herein utilized for both lowering and lifting the hingedly mounted toilet bowl, this figure showing the locking rod in its locked position and the complemental devices cocked and ready to swing the bowl out and down just as soon as the pivoted lever is tripped to the dotted line position;

Figure 7 is a view much the same as Figure 8, and actually based thereon but showing the relationship of the mechanical parts when the toilet bowl is in the down usable horizontal position and the parts are then set to again lift and swing the bowl up to its folded position after it has been used;

Figure 8 is a detail view of one end portion of what is herein treated as a specially designed fitting on the upper end of the S-trap and which may be said to be taken on the approximate vertical line 8-8 of Figure 9, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 9 is a view in section and elevation taken on the irregular line 9--9 of Figure 8, also looking in the direc tion of the arrows;

Figure 10 is a detail plan view of the stated fitting with other parts removed, that is, of the fitting by itself;

Figure 11 is an end elevation of the same fitting seen in Figure 10 with a portion broken away and shown in section;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of the upper end of a dashpot or air cylinder which will be referred to later and which is on the approximate line 12--12 of Figure 7, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary detail elevational view which functions to show the construction of the dual purpose cam which here is positioned to trip the complemental locking rod;

Figure 14 is a view in section and elevation and also fragmentary, which shows the valved reservoir and complemental structural elements; and

Figure 15 is a fragmentary sectional view based on the showing in Figure 14 and merely showing the valve of Figure .14 in its open reservoir-emptying position.

Referring now to the drawings with the aid of reference numerals and lead lines, the numeral 20 designates a hollow sheet metal or equivalent cabinet of appropriate construction which is fragmentarily shown here and which is expressly adapted to installation in limited space on a pullman car, quarters on a ship or the like. Adjacent the bottom, there is a suitably shaped opening into which an appropriate construction is fitted to provide an alcove or compartment which is generally denoted by the numeral 22 in Figure 2. This is of general rectangular form and serves to store the toilet bowl 24 when the latter is folded up to its vertical out-ofthe-way or out-ofuse position. The bowl is of appropriate construction and includes a flush ring or rim 26 and it is mounted within the. confines of an enclosing case having anappropriate bottom 28 and marginal wall 30. This bowl is provided around its major peripheral edge portion with ports or orifices 32 (Figure 4) which serve to discharge the flush water into the bowl in an obvious manner. The rear or right hand end of the bowl is imperforate for trapping water, as at 34, in a manner to be later described. This same end portion of the bowl has a lateral extension 36 which also functions as will be later described. Then, too, there is a funnel-like discharge neck 38 which, as best shown in Figure 9, is integrated with a hinging head which takes the form of a cylinder generally denoted at 40. The neck is mounted intermediate the ends, and said ends are closed in by plugs 42 and 43. While on Figure 9 it will be seen that the cylinder head is mounted in the cradle portion 44 of'a fitting 45 having a flange 46 bolted to aflange'47 on the upper end of an S-trap 48. The discharge end of this is shown at 49 depending below the bottom of the cabinet, as perhaps best shown in Figures 2 and 3. The fitting has bearings 50 and 51 and, as shown at the right in Figure 9, there is a rocker shaft 52 with a reduced end portion 53 journaled in a bearing 54 in a plate 55 connected to the cooperating vertical cabinet wall 56, there being a head on the inner end of the shaft at 57 which turns or oscillates in the associated bearing 51. A similar construction is at the left wherein a second shaft is coaxial with the shaft 52 and said second shaft is denoted by the numeral 58, this shaft being hollow to provide a water passage 60 which serves in a manner to be described. The head at the right hand end of this shaft is denoted at 61 and it is integrated with the plug 42 and is journaled for rotation or oscillation in the bearing 50. This same shaft is provided at the left hand end with a nipple 62 and a polygonal or square portion 63 carrying a cam 64 and having a reduced journal 65 turnable in stationary bearing means .66 provided in the cabinet. A water delivery passage is denoted at 67, generally speaking, and this comprises short complemental pipe members 68 and 69 coupled together at 70 and joined at 71 to the hollow shaft and serving to bypass the water through the passage 60 and connection 67 into the aforementioned extension 36, and, consequently, into the flush rim or ring of the pa n or toilet bowl. Thus, we have a hingedly mounted bowl with discharge neck and facilities mounted in the bearing means of the fitting or fixture 45, as illustrated in Figure 9, in which figure the bowl is in its up position, as brought out in Figure 2. When the bowl is in its down or horizontal position, as seen in Figure 3, the discharge neck 38 is communicable with the fitting and S-trap so that when the bowl is flushed, the liquid therein and fecal matter will be flushed down the drain in an obvious manner. It is stressed-again that the hollow shaft 58 withits nipple facilities is novel as compared to my prior adaptations shown in Patent No. 2,750,599 and Patent No. 2,725,575.

It will be seen that on one side of the cabinet and toilet bowl, I provide what may be treated as the water supply means. This is to the left'in the drawings. On the opposite side, I provide what is later to be described as the mechanical lifting and lowering means. All of these devices cooperate mutually in bringing about expedient and efficient construction and operating control of the over-all fold-away toilet, as is obvious. Taking up now the water supply means at the left, reference is made first to the flushing valve 72. This is of any appropriate construction, and the water inlet is denoted at 73. Connected to the bottom, there is a vacuum breaker 74. On one side to the left in Figures 2. and 3, for example, there is what may be called a push-button 75 which, obviously, opens the valve when depressed. To depress the valve, instead of using a finger pressed button, as shown in my previous application, I utilize a finger tripped lever 76 which has a confined head pivotally mounted in the cabinet, as at 77. Referring to Figure 3, the pivoted head has a keeper notch 78 therein to accommodate the upper end of a keeper 79 on a locking rod, sometimes referred to as a trip rod'80. This is slidably mounted at its upper end in a U-shaped fixed bracket 81 and also at its lower end in a suitable guide 82, and there is a coil return spring 83 which functions to normally raise'the'rod up and to engage it-in the keeper seat to thus lock the pull or lever 76 against operation. In order to automatically and mechanically depress the rod against the tension of the spring 83, said rod is provided near its lower end with a depressor finger 84. With'refer'ence to Figure 13, it will be seen that this depressor finger is in line with one corner portion 85 of the'aforementioned cam 64.- This cam has .6 a flanged rim portion with a depression or seat 86 at one end which will be later described. Inany event, when the bowl swings from its out-of-the-way vertical position to its in use horizontal position and the aforementioned shaft 58 oscillates, the cam turns from the position shown in full lines in Figure 14 to the dotted line position, engages the depressor finger or foot 84 and forces the locking or latch rod 80 down against the tension of the spring 83 and releases the flush valve operating lever or pull 76. Thus, the lever is released to depress the button 75 and open the flush valve.

Conduit means is provided between the flush valve and the aforementioned water by-passing nipple 62. This means has several features. Of primary importance is the flexible hose 87 which is connected at its upper end, as at 88, to a T-shaped coupling 89. This coupling is mounted on the lower end of a conduit pipe 90 (see Figure 14) which is connected by a packing gland 91 to another approximately T-shaped coupling 92 joined by a connection 93 with a cap 94 which, in turn, is communicatively connected with the vacuum breaker 74. Thus, water is delivered from the flushing valve by way of the vacuum breaker and cap 94, and connections 93 and 92 and pipe 90 and coupling 89 into the hose. The hose delivers it to the nipple 62 which by-passes it by the connection 67 to the rim of the bowl.

With reference at this stage to Figures 14 and 15, the numeral 95 designates, generally speaking, a water trapping reservoir for a limited amount of water which is utilized, as will be seen later, to form a small pool of 'water in the bottom of the toilet bowl 24. It is to be noted here that this trap or reservoir is not built into the bowl iself as in my aforementioned cases. Instead, it is a separate and remote part and is a component of what is broadly referred to here as conduit means. It comprises a cylinder 96 to the upper end of which the aforementioned cap 94 is connected so that the cap communicates therewith. There is a casting or base 97 at the bottom which is suitably connected, at 98, with the cylinder. This casting serves to accommodate a valve 99 which is slidable therein and which has a portion operating through a neck 100 and stufiing box 101, said portion being a so-called plunger 102. The numeral 103 is merely a closing spring for the valve, and 104 is an O-ring or packing. There is a similar packing ring 105 around the upper threaded end portion 106 of the valve which is held in place by an assembling and clamping nut 107. The apertured or ported portion of the valve is denoted at 108 and is normally closed in the manner shown in Figure 14. For purposes of raising this valve to open position, there is a depending plunger rod 109 which is connected with the plunger 102 and which extends downwardly into operating relation in respect to the aforementioned cam 64. There is a gravity lowered foot 110 on the lower end of the rod which is pivoted in place, as at 111, and which has its lower end bifurcated or forked and carrying an antifriction and operating roller 112. This roller is in operating association with the rim-like flange 113 on the cam. When this cam 64 swings in the direction of the arrow, as shown, for instance, in Figure 14, the cam engages the roller-equipped leg 110, that is, the roller 112 directly, and it raises the plunger rod and plunger 102 against the tension of the spring and liftsthe valve up to open position so that any water which has been previously trapped in the chamber of the reservoir, that is, the cylinder 96 is allowed to flow out by way of the connection 114 into the T-coupling and thence downwardly by way of the hose 87, the hollow passage 60 and the connection 67 into the flush rim. This break joint connection between the roller-equipped foot also permits the foot to break and swing from the full line to the dotted line positions shown in Figure 14 when the cam 64 is returned from the dotted line position shown at the left in Figure 14 to the full line position shown at the right. Otherwise, this up or folded away position.

7 cam would lift the valve 99- atan undesirable interval of time. What is intended here is that when the lever 76 is released by tripping the rod 80 and the flush valve is operated and the water flows down through the, breaker 74 and cap 94 and a limited portion is trapped in the reservoir or cylinder 96, the valve being normally closed to retain this limited amount of water. The rest of the water, that is, the major portion, passes on through the connections 93, 92,190 and 89 into the hose and from the hose to the flush rim of the toilet bowl in the manner already described. This reservoir of water is, however, used to provide a limited pool in the bowl when the bowl is next operated. When the bowl is swung to its outof-the-way position, the roller-equipped leg is caused to pivot at 111 by the shoulder on the cam 64, and the valve 99 remains stationary. When the bowl is again lowered to its down position, the cam 64 rotates from the position shown in full lines in Figure 14 to the dotted line position, thus pushing the roller-equipped leg and the associated plunger rod 109 in an upward direction.

This causes the valve 99 to open and the water in the reservoir 95 is delivered by way of the hose 87 into the flush ring 26 from whence it trickles through the perforations 32 into the bottom of the bowl and pools therein. It is no longer my intention to store the water. in the rear imperforate section of the flush ring.

With reference now to the lifting and lowering means at the right, and especially to Figures 6 and 7, it will be seen that a special device is keyed by Way of a hub 115 on the reduced end 53 of the rocker shaft 52.. This carries a cam 116 and a radial arm 117 with a lateral end portion 118. The cam is provided at one end with a notch forming a keeper shoulder 119 which serves to accommodate, as shown in Figure 6, the lower beveled end portion 120 of a trip rod 121:. This trip rod is mounted in a guide 122 on the flange 123 fixedly secured in place. There is another guide 124 above it through which the rod operates and there is a coiled re turn spring 125 on the rod and bearing against the guide, and the spring serves to normally engage the releasable end 120. with. the keeper seat or shoulder 119 on the cam.

So the cam is normally held in the position appearing in Figure 6. There is a fork on the upper end of the trip rod whichis pivoted, at 126, to a suitably shaped head 127 which, in turn, is pivotally mounted in the cabinet, as at 128.. This head carries a suitably shaped pull lever 129 which is accessible through a slot in the casing in the manner shown in the drawings. A suitable bracket 130' serves to mount the lever and rod in the manner shown. A trigger rod is denoted at 130 and this has a fork 131 on its lower end which is pivotally mounted to the intermediate portion of the aforementioned rocker arm117. Surrounding the lower portion of this trigger rod is a cushioning spring which may be called a counterbalance spring 132. The upper end portion of the rod has a shoulder or stop 133 thereon and associated with this and surrounding the rod and hearing against the guide 124 is a toilet bowl throw-out spring 134. The aforementioned dashpot takes the form of an air cylinder 135 hingedly mounted on and suspended from a bracket in the manner shown generally at 136 in the drawings. A plunger head .137 is reciprocable in the cylinder and is connected with a plunger rod 138 which, in turn, is provided with a fork 139 on its lower end pivotally connected at 14010 the cooperating free end portion 118 of the rocker arm. The cylinder is provided on its upper end with a cap 141 which is the part which is hinged on the bracket at 136 and which, as best shown in Figure 12, is provided with an air discharge port 142 and a needle valve for regulating and controlling the same, as at 143. The bowl throw-out spring 134 is under tension and therefore cocked" and in readiness to operate in the manner shown in Figure 6, at which time, .the toilet bowl is in its Oviously, by catching hold (i ii of the lever'129 and pulling .it from the full line'position to the dotted line position, the pivoted head rocks on the bracket 130' and lifts the rod 121 against the tension of the return spring 125 and releases the cam 116 and rocker arm 117. When the cam is released, the throwout spring lifts the trigger rod 130 and lifts upwardly on the rocker arm 117, and the toilet bowl is automatically swung out and down to its position in readiness for use. The shock is cushioned by the balance or cushioning spring 132 which comes against the guide 124 which acts as the stop shoulder, aided by the plungers 137 and 138 operating in the air cylinder 135, all in a progressive, collective and obvious manner. Also, the foot pedal comes into play, this being denoted by the numeral 144, and comprising an arm, the inner end of which is hingedly mounted at M5. on a stationary bracket 146 mounted in the lower portion of the cabinet. The outer end of the arm extends through a slot 147 and terminates in the pedal or treadle 148. With the pedal in its elevated position and the bowl occupied, when the user is finished with the bowl, he will step on the treadle and force the arm 144 down in the slot .147. This, in turn, will pull the rocker arms 117 and 113 back to the position shown in Figure 6 and will reset the mechanical devices and, of course, liftthc bowl up and store it away in its storage compartment, all in an obvious manner.

There. are a number of incidental details shown but which need notbe dwelled upon in a specific manner, as, ror example, the cover plate 150 (see Figure 3) for the hand hole which permits access to be had to parts within the confines of the casing. Then, too, the cradle portion 44 of the fitting 45 is provided at its ends with stop shoulders 152, one of which is shown in Figure 8, and which serves as. a check and stabilizer for the stop nose 153 on the part 154 when the latter swings to its functioning position and the bowl is in its horizontal usable position. This is merely-a ways and means of stabilizing the bowl when it is down and supporting a comparatively heavy weight. Then, too, there is a smaller hose 155 which is communicable with the aforementioned conduit means and which is treated as a jet water hose and which has its lower end communicable with a jet water inlet 156 in the aforementioned S-trap to facilitate scavenging the trap. Not only this, there are other details shown but which need not be described or touched upon here since their significance and function is, it is believed, self-evident.

It is believed that the description taken in connection with the various views of the drawings and the claims will be suflicient to enable the reader to understand the construction, features and advantages and mode of operation of all phases of the over-all invention singly and collectively. In these circumstances, a more limited description is believed to be unnecessary.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A folding water closet comprising, in combination, a stationary waste disposal conduit embodying a trap and an attending and communicating fitting carried by and connected with said trap, said fitting having bearing means, a toilet bowl adapted to assume a horizontal position when in use and swung up to a vertical out-of-the-way position when not in use, said bowl having a flush ring with jet.

distributing orifices communicating with the bowl and also said neck and hingedly mounted for operation in the bearing means on said fitting, said means including a horizontal hollow shaft which is coaxial with the axis about which said hinge means rotates, the hollow portion of said shaft providing a passage and serving to conduct flushing water, a water delivery connection between said flush ring and passage in said shaft, a remote stationary flushing valve, and flush water conduit means affording a communication between said flushing valve and shaft and embodying a flexible hose which automatically yields and thus accommodatingly adapts itself to the stationary valve on the one hand and a relatively rotatable shaft on the other hand, whereby said bowl may be lifted and lowered, and said shaft permitted to rotate, as required, without hindrance from any part of the over-all structure, a pivoted lever adjacent to and operatively cooperable with said flushing valve and for opening the latter, a slidably mounted liftable and lowerable trip rod, said lever having a keeper seat and the upper end of said rod providing a keeper which is projectable into said seat to lock said lever, spring means on said rod releasably holding said keeper in said heat, said hollow shaft having a rod operating member, and said rod having a rod depressing and holddown finger in the path of movement of said member and adapted to be engaged by the member and forced down in a manner to release the keeper from the keeper seat when the bowl has been moved to and is in its down ready-to-use position. v

2. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said lever is provided with a head, said head being provided with the aforementioned keeper seat, said rod operating member being a cam and said cam being engageable with said hold-down finger.

3. A folding water closet comprising, in combination, a stationary waste conduit embodying a trap and a fitting carried by said trap, a bowl having a flush ring and a fecal matter emptying neck, hinging means cooperable with said neck and hingedly mounted for operation on said fitting, said hinging means embodying a horizontal hollow shaft joined to and carried by said hinging means and being coaxial with the axis about which said means rotates, the hollow portion of said shaft providing a passage and serving to conduct flushing water, a cam fixedly mounted on and oscillatable with said shaft, a bypass connected with and providing communication between said shaft and said flush ring, a remote stationary flushing valve, conduit means embodying a trapping reservoir communicable with said flushing valve and having a spring biased normally closed trapping valve, a push rod operatively connected with said trapping valve and having operating connection at its lower end with said cam, a flexible hose having one end communicatively connected with said hollow shaft, means connecting the opposite end of the hose with said flushing valve on the one hand and the trapping valve on the other hand, whereby when the flushing valve is flushed, a proportionately limited amount of water is trapped in the reservoir and temporarily held, with the rest of the Water passing on through said hose, said shaft, and said by-pass into said flush ring.

4. The structure defined in claim 3, and a foot-like member hingedly mounted on the lower end of said push rod and provided with a freely rotatable antifriction roller and said roller being operatively cooperable with said cam.

5. The structure defined in claim 3 and wherein there is a second shaft in axial alignment with said first named shaft, said second shaft being solid and fixedly connected with the hinge means, and foot-treadle-equipped remote controlled means for automatically lowering the bowl from its folded out-of-the-way position and also for raising the bowl from its horizontal usable position to its folded out-of-the-way position.

6. A folding water closet comprising, in combination, a stationary waste disposal conduit, a toilet bowl having a fecal matter emptying neck, hinge means integrated with said neck and hingedly mounted on said conduit, a flush- 7 ing valve, conduit means communicatively connected with said flushing valve at one end and at its opposite end with said bowl; a first shaft horizontally disposed and coaxial with the axis about which said hinge means rotates, said shaft being connected at one end with said hinge means and movable in conjunction therewith, a trip rod having safety release connected with said flushing valve by way of a manually actuable controlling lever which is utilized to open said valve, a cooperating and operating connection between said trip rod and shaft, a second shaft coaxial with the first shaft and fixedly connected with said hinge means, means cooperable with'said second shaft for oscillating the same in opposite directions and for raising and lowering said bowl, a pivotally mounted handle-equipped bowl controlling lever, a second trip rod operatively connected at its upper end with said last named lever, and a shouldered member fixed on said second named shaft with which the lower end of said second trip rod is selectively engageable and releasable.

7. The structure defined in claim 6 and wherein said member is a sector-shaped cam having a shoulder at one end, said second named trip rod being provided with a spring for pressing the rod in a normal downwardly sliding direction, the lower end of said rod being releasably engageable with said shoulder.

8. The structure defined in claim 7, and a rocker arm secured to said second named shaft, a pivotally mounted air cylinder, at plunger having a head reciprocable in said cylinder and a rod connected with said rocker arm, a foot treadle pivotally mounted, and a link connection between said foot treadle and rocker arm. I

9. The structure defined in claim 7, "and a rocker arm secured to said second named shaft, a pivotally mounted air cylinder, a plunger having a head reciprocable insaid cylinder and a rod connected with said rocker arm, a foot treadle pivotally mounted, and a link connection between said foot treadle and rocker arm, a relatively stationary guide, a rod member having an intermediate portion slidable through said guide and having its lower end pivotally connected to an intermediate portion of said rocker arm, and at least one coil spring surrounding said last named rod and operatively associated with said fixed guide.

10. A folding water closet comprising, in combination, a stationary waste disposal conduit embodying a trap and an attending and communicating fitting carried by and connected with said trap, said fitting having bearing means, a toilet bowl adapted to assume a horizotal position when in use and which is swung upto a vertical out-of-the-way position when not in use, said bowl having a flush ring with jet distributing orifices communi- I calling with the bowl and also having a fecal matter emptying neck, means integral with said neck and hingedly mounted for operation in the bearing means on said fitting, said means including a horizontal hollow shaft which is coaxial with the axis about which said hinge means rotaltes, the hollow portion of said shaft providing Ia passage and serving to conduct flushing water, said shaft having a first lateral nipple and a second lateral nipple, said nipples connected with said shaft and communicating with the passageway in the shaft (311d with each other, a communicating connection between said second nipple and said flush ring, a remote stationary flushing valve, a flush water conduit affording communication between said flushing valve and embodying a flexible hose which is connected communicatively with said first lateral nipple, said hose automatically yield-ing and flexing and thus Iadapting itself to the rotation of said shaft relative to the stationary flushing valve when said bowl is swung in a vertical plane either up or down, said conduit means also embodying a reservoir interposed and located between the normal position of said hose and said flushing valve, and being in constant communication with said flushing valve, said reservoir being of a capacity to trap a limited amount of water when the flushing valve is operated during the time that the bowl is down and in use, and temporarily storing same when the bowl is up and not in use, said thus stored water being spilled by way of the orifices in the flushring when the bowl is again lowered, whereby to collect a pool of water in the bottom of the bowl and to thus keep the bowl wet prior to each use thereof.

11. The structure defined in claim 10, and whereinsaid reservoir is provided with a valve which traps and retains the potential bowl pooling water.

12. The structure defined in claim 11 and the combi' nation therewith of a push rod which is connected with and serves, to lift and open said valve, spring means, car: ried by and for keeping the valve normally closed, and a cam carried by the aforementioned shaft, and an operating connection between the cam and said push rod.

13. A folding water closet comprising, in combination, a stationary waste disposal conduit, a foldaaway toilet bowl adapted to assume a horizontal position when in use and a vertical out-of-the-way position when not in use, said bowl having a flush ring and a fecal matter emptying neck hingedly mounted on and communicable with said disposal conduit, a remote stationary flushing valve, and flush water conduit means affording a communication between said flushing valve and flush ring and embodying a flexible water conducting hose which automatically yields and thus acconimoda tingly adapts and adjusts itself relative to the flushing valve and varying bowl positions, a manually ac-tuatable lever pivotally mounted adjacent to and operatively cooperable with said valve and serving to open the valve when the toilet is in its horizontal down position, a spring returned slidably mounted trip rod for said lever having its upper end releasably engaging said lever in a manner which prevents said lever from being accidentally tripped and opening said valve when said bowl is in its up folded-awayposition, a hold-down and operating finger carried by said rod, and means atfixed to a hinged portion of said bowl and movable into operating engagement with said holddown finger when the bowl moves to and occupies its down position.

14. A folding water closet construction comprising, in combination, a stationary waste disposal conduit, a foldaway toilet bowl communicably and hingedly mounted on said conduit, and adapted to occupy a firm horizontal ready-to-use position when down and a vertical out-of- 3 the-way position when up and not in use, a stationary remote controlled flush water supply valve, a delivery conduit. affording communication between said supply valve and toilet bowl making it possible to flush said bowl when it is down, a manually actuatable lever pivotally mounted adjacent to and operatively cooperable with said valve and serving to open the valve when the toilet is in its horizontal down position, a spring returned slidably, mounted trip rod for said lever havin its upper end releasably engaging said lever in a manner which prevents said lever from being accidentally tripped and opening said valve when said bowl is in its up foldedaway-position, a hold-down and operating finger carried by said rod, and means atiixed to a hinged portion of said bowl and movable into engagement with said holdr down finger when the bowl moves to and occupies its down position, said conduit embodying a reservoir communicatively, joined with and suspended from said supply valve, said reservoir being of prescribed limited capacity and designed and functioning to automatically trap a limited amount of bowl'pooling and wetting water each time the supply, valve is operated and during which interval said bowl is down and flushed after having been used, and also functioning to store the trapped water when the bowl is folded away and is in its up-out-of-nsc position, said conduit also embodying a yieldablcselfadapting and adjusting water conducting hose having its intake end cooperable with said reservoir and itsxdischarge end communicable with said bowl,

, 15. A folding water closed construction comprising, in combination, a stationary waste disposal conduit, a foldaway toilet bowl communicably and hingedly mounted on said conduit and adapted to occupy a firm horizontal ready-to-use position when down and a vertical out-ofthe-way position when up and not in use, a stationary remote controlled flush water supply valve, a delivery conduit affording communication between said supply valve and toilet bowl making it possible to fiushsaid bowl when his down, a manually actuatable lever pivotally mounted adjacent to and operatively cooperable with said valve and serving to open the valve whenthe toilet is inits horizontal down" position, a spring re turned slidably mounted trip rod for said lever having its upper end releasably engaging said lever in a manner which prevents said lever from being accidentally tripped and opening said valve when said bowl is in its up" folded-away position, a hold-down and operating finger carried by said rod, and oscillatory cam means affixed to thevhingedly mounted portion of said bowl and movable into engagement with said hold-down finger when the bowl moves to and occupies its down position, said delivery conduit embodying a reservoir communicatively joined with said supply valve, said reservoir being of prescribed limited capacity and designed and functioning to automatically trap a limited amount of bowl-pooling and wetting water each time the supply valve is operated and during which interval said bowl is down and flushed after having been used, and also functioning to store the trapped water when the bowl is folded away and is in its up-out-of-use position, means affording a communicating connection between the reservoir and the bowl in a manner to supply bowl-pooling and wetting water to the bowl, said reservoir being provided at its bottom with a normally closed spring-retained valve having a depending push rod which, when pushed up raises and thus opens said last named valve, and said push rod having a pivotally mounted antifriction roller operatively cooperable with said cam.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 14,902 Bookhout et al May 20, 1856 1,997,695 Nielsen et, a1 Apr. 16, 1935 2,076,950 Koch a- Apr. 13, 1937 2,219,437 Andersen et al. Oct. 29, 1940 t 2,678,450 Simpson et a1. May 18, 1954 

